duete; see due, ty 2 ]. syn: duty, obligation refer to something a person feels bound to do. A duty often applies to what a person performs in fulfillment of the permanent dictates of conscience, piety, right, or law: one's duty to tell the truth; a parent's duty to raise children properly.
Mutations in the RB1 gene are responsible for most cases of retinoblastoma. RB1 is a tumor suppressor gene, which means that it normally regulates cell growth and keeps cells from dividing too rapidly or in an uncontrolled way.
Retinoblastoma occurs when nerve cells in the retina develop genetic mutations. These mutations cause the cells to continue growing and multiplying when healthy cells would die. This accumulating mass of cells forms a tumor. Retinoblastoma cells can invade further into the eye and nearby structures. Retinoblastoma can also spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body, including the brain and spine. In the majority of cases, it's not clear what causes the genetic mutations that lead to retinoblastoma.